“We get emotional about good food, good plates, good drinks,” says home cook Giovanni Siracusa. “It’s not just a business for us.” Siracusa is talking about Decore, an Italian restaurant he’s opening with longtime friend and first time business partner Giorgio Corletti. In Roman dialect, Decore means “with heart.” 

“Everything is made with heart,” explains Corletti, from made-from-scratch pasta to the homey ambiance they hope people feel when they step through the doors into the tiny-cozy East Village space that was longtime home to one of San Diego’s most beloved bistros, Cafe Chloe.

“People had an attachment to that place,” says Siracusa. 

Both partners are from Italy and met working in restaurants in San Francisco, including Nihon Whiskey Lounge and Bar 821. Siracusa prefers working behind the bar, while Corletti says his mother’s cooking inspired him to work in kitchens from a young age. In Italy, he learned to be a chef under famed Michelin-star and Gambero Rosso-winning chef Gianfranco Vissani, who taught him to work only with “the best food, the best ingredients, the best suppliers.”

Currently running the kitchen at Nado Republic in Coronado, Decore will open the second week of April. The menu will feature traditional Italian ingredients and preparation—simple, classic, and elegant. In the meantime, the pair are working on renovating the space that’s sat vacant since Cafe Chloe closed in 2018. Corletti describes it as an Art Deco vibe, with emerald greens and pops of gold—not casual, but not too high-end. 

“We are trying to give a middle space, where you can sit for the full dinner, or just sit and have a great dessert and a glass of vermouth,” he says. “In Italy, when there is a bar in the neighborhood, or there is a restaurant, it’s kind of like an anchor point for the community. That’s where you feel at home. That’s what we want to do.”

Beth’s Bites

• Despite its residents making sizable business deals over surf sessions, Cardiff’s food scene has long leaned more casual than Del Mar and La Jolla—which gives it more of an under-the-radar bougie charm. On May 1, you can taste their intentional mellow at the 15th annual Taste of Cardiff with longtime favorites like Besta-Wan Pizza House, Seaside Market, VG Donuts, plus AleSmith, Boochcraft, Local Roots.
• One of my absolute favorite San Diego beer events is coming up on March 29—the annual Pucks & Pints charity hockey game. Watch a bunch of brewers and brewery employees face off at Pechanga Arena for the friendly fundraising hockey game at 12:30 p.m., then stroll across the parking lot to Bay City Brewing for a beer and barbecue festival from 2-5 p.m. If you’re so inclined, stay and watch the real deal Gulls take on the Calgary Wranglers. Proceeds go to five different local nonprofits (like the Boys & Girls Club) and it’s always a pucking great time.
• Tasting all the way through Little Italy simply isn’t possible in one day, which is why the annual Taste of Little Italy is wisely spread over two days. (Honestly, it could easily be an entire week, but moderation is key, I suppose.) On June 17-18, guests can eat through one of San Diego’s most delicious neighborhoods with 48-square blocks of eateries, coffee shops, bars, and cafes. Tickets always sell out, so if you’re interested at all, snag yours now.
• Spring into spring at Carlsbad’s annual Spring Art & Wine Walk on Saturday, April 5 at The Forum Carlsbad. Browse (or buy!) the collection of art, which ranges from paintings to photography, while sipping on wine from places like Sipwell Wine Co. and bites from vendors like Mirabelle Charcuterie and McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams. Bring along the kids for activations at places like Geppetto’s, but note that the wine garden is 21+. 

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Jackson Merrill is ready for his encore season.

“I’ve been ready since we stepped into the building for spring training,” Merrill said. “Maybe not like baseball-wise, but mind-wise, I’ve been ready to go. It wasn’t slow in spring training. Just had a few games where I didn’t feel too right. But then now it just feels like things are back.”

Aside from the one plate appearance the regulars will get in Monday’s Cactus League finale, Merrill on Sunday capped his second spring training as a major leaguer with his fourth home run in a 5-5 tie with the Diamondbacks.

He spoke afterward of this year being a different kind of learning process — one in which he had to get used to the routine of not playing routinely. He is the junkiest of baseball junkies, usually arriving at the ballpark before any other teammate and staying in the dugout until the end of almost every spring training game. So being an established big-leaguer this year and rarely traveling to away games in the spring was a foreign way to ramp up.

Last spring, he played almost every day as the Padres got him ready to make his big-league debut at what was then his new position in center field.

“Last year was a completely different vibe,” he said. “But I’m kind of a little bit — not upset with myself, but I think I could have treated it the same as last year and maybe got a little more progress out of it. But to be honest, I feel like I’m just in a spot now where I’m getting better day by day. So it’s kind of nice to chill and build it up, because now I’m ready for 162 better than I’ve ever been.”

Merrill was an All-Star last season, won the Silver Slugger for National League center fielders and finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and ninth in NL MVP voting.

He came into this spring knowing he would be batting third this season as opposed to the back half of the lineup. He aimed to be more selective at the plate and then did not walk once in 45 plate appearances.

“That was kind of annoying, but I was getting pitches to hit,” said Merrill, who batted .244 (11-for-45) and put 11 of his 34 balls in play at 101 mph or harder in Cactus League play. “I think I had long ABs, good ABs — some bad ones, but a lot of good ABs and a lot of good contact. I think a lot more power, a lot more barrel. When I hit it, it sounds a little different than it did last year.”

Darvish update

Yu Darvish returned to San Diego and is expected to resume playing catch in the coming days.

The 38-year-old right-hander began experiencing elbow discomfort more than a week ago. His March 16 bullpen session was canceled, and he has not played catch since a brief turn throwing softly on Tuesday.

Darvish has been examined by Dr. Keith Meister, a renowned orthopedic surgeon. The Padres believe there is no ligament damage that would require surgery and that rest will be enough to get him back on the mound in relatively short order.

When Darvish returns, however, will be dependent on how he feels. And a team source reiterated Sunday the team’s plan has been to try to preserve Darvish for later in the season, so there will not be a rush for him to get back on the mound.

CBT watch

Once Yuli Gurriel ($1.25 million), Jose Iglesias ($3 million) and Martín Maldonado ($1 million) officially join Gavin Sheets ($1.6 million) on the 40-man roster, the Padres will be projected to be over the second Competitive Balance Tax threshold of $261 million.

They would be taxed at a rate of 20% on the first $20 million by which they exceed the $241 million base CBT threshold and 32% for every dollar they are over the second threshold.

Teams are not assessed that tax until their CBT payroll is figured out at the end of the season, so the final number could change via any number of transactions.

For a deeper dive into the team, sign up for Kevin Acee’s free “Padres Daily” newsletter delivered to your inbox the morning after virtually every game during the season. Subscribe here.

Originally Published: March 23, 2025 at 7:53 PM PDT

Segway is recalling about 220,000 of its scooters sold across the U.S. due to a fall hazard that has resulted in user injuries ranging from bruises to broken bones.

According to a notice published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the folding mechanism in Segway’s Ninebot Max G30P and Max G30LP KickScooters can fail during use — causing the handlebars or stem of the scooters to fold.

That can result in serious injuries, the Commission warns. Thursday’s recall notice notes that Segway has received 68 reports of folding mechanism failures — and 20 injuries that include abrasions, bruises, lacerations and broken bones.

Consumers in possession of these now-recalled scooters are urged to stop using them immediately and contact Segway to request a free maintenance kit. This kit includes tools and step-by-step instructions to inspect and adjust the scooters’ locking mechanism as needed, Segway says.

“Over time, depending on riding conditions, the folding mechanism may require periodic checks and tightening,” California-based Segway writes on its website. “No returns or replacements are involved.”

According to the CPSC, the Segway scooters involved in this recall were manufactured in China and Malaysia and sold at in-person retailers across the U.S. — like Best Buy, Costco, Walmart, Target and Sam’s Club, as well as online at Segway.com and Amazon.com, between January 2020 and February 2025. Sale prices ranged from $600 to $1,000.